006

[justabignobody]

Characters: Riku/"Tamas" and open/closed/open
Setting: Anywhere over the month of June
Format: Action preferred, but I'll match!
Summary: Riku during June, also having your powers forced out of control really, really sucks
Warnings: Darkness, Angst, possibly violence at one point, but nothing all too graphic


[A - 5th to 19th June - Floors 32 & 25 (Daytime), all around the tower at night]

[Even with cafeteria, restaurant and the power down, Riku only alters his routine to fit the circumstances - he isn't all too worried about himself; he's more than capable to manage himself. Every now and then he can be found gathering food or hunting on Floor 32 - he isn't above using the monsters as food source, but if he could manage otherwise, well... - but if he isn't, he's most likely continuing with studying... with less and less result as the month goes by admittedly.

At night he is out on the hunt though, clearing out groups of monsters where he knows he can take them... though he is even more cautious than usual. With all supplies limited, he really can't effort being reckless after all.]

[B - 20th June - Floor 13 - closed to Kairi]

[He has noticed that something has started to go wrong, that Soul Eater summoned itself, that his Dark Firagas flare a little more strongly than he intends them to. It's not the first time that this has happened; he recognizes it from just a few months ago, when the collars had gone haywire...

But it's getting even worse this time, because he's been feeling his grasp on the darkness inside him slip more and more in the passing week, has felt the part of it that's not his own swell and push and despite his best tries to regain control of it and himself while going on - he is slowly starting to lose himself.

Today, it's growing bad enough to make him dizzy, to the point where he just stumbles over his feet and against the wall - cold, strong stone maybe slightly soothing - breath shuddering as he reaches up, his right hand settling over his heart while his left clings to the wall. Maybe if he rests here for just a moment, he can get the Darkness back in check.]

[C - 20th to 24th June - all around the tower]

[Even though Riku would never admit so out loud, his transformed state does have some upsides. First and foremost that he can think more clearly again; though he feels slight bouts of dizziness, they are far, far less distracting now. (There is also the very clear upside of finer control over the Darkness around him and the increase of physical strength, but honestly... he would prefer being himself. But then again... this has never been about his preferences.)

Even with Kairi knowing, he cannot help but distance himself from who he had been, from who he might never be again, if things went wrong... The last time the tower had messed with his powers, he had transformed back when things had returned to what the tower considered normal, but things had been different then. The Darkness inside him hadn't been as steep.

It's alright though, he supposes... it's all about adjusting, it's just about separating his now-self from who 'Riku' had been. And getting used to the new (in his opinion, well enough fitting) name he has chosen for himself. After all, what else was he now but 'Darkness'...

He has altered his movements now, wandering the tower randomly and staying away from the places Riku is known to linger at, the hood up hiding his face. But he still spends his night on fighting. Or well... practicing just what he can do with his Darkness now. Who knew when that would get handy after all.]

ooc: If you haven't, please take a look at Riku's permissions post!

Comments

June 20th

[luckycharmed]

[Kairi was worried. Earlier in the month she was only starting to get worried, but now she could easily say the feeling had settled in with gusto. So much was happening all at once, and the Tower was even eerier than it had been when she first arrived.

Not to mention the physical toll that seemed to be taking everyone around her, even herself. She fund herself lightheaded on several occasions, her chest feeling tight, like she wasn't getting enough air. It was a distressing feeling.

But she couldn't simply worry about herself, and so she found herself once again in the halls, trying to find familiar faces or assist new people if she came across them. It was this that led to her spotting a familiar figure in the distance, his posture slumped. Without thought she starts jogging toward him.]

[justabignobody]

[He is hardly registering what's going on around him, not with the way his vision is going out of focus, not when it takes his everything to keep standing on his feet, even though he thinks he can see his he darkness wrapping around his feet, shadows climbing up his being, eager to embrace him, to turn and twist him until he is no longer himself.

And maybe he thinks... maybe it would be just better not to fight anymore.

But as she gets closer, the more he becomes aware of her, turning his head towards where he's sensing her light, becoming just a shade paler - he hasn't meant anyone to see him like this.

Least of all her.]

You... s-shouldn't be here.

[luckycharmed]

[If getting closer didn't confirm her thoughts on who it was, the voice was definitely a giveaway.]

What do you mean? Riku, are you okay?

[She reaches out for him, only hesitating when she suddenly feels as if something in the air is very wrong. Like something is looming over her and about to engulf her. She shakes her head and ignores it though, her fingertips almost brushing his back.]

[justabignobody]

[Close... she's too close... and she shouldn't be, not when he's really just about to tumble off the edge again. He flinches away when he becomes aware of that almost touch - his grip at the wall growing a little tighter as he uses it as leverage to push himself away and create at least some distance between them.]

You need to get away. 'S not safe here.

[And just as he says that, the shadows around them grow deep black and start to pool at his feet, almost as if they weren't shadows but liquid Darkness...]

A Floor 25, Night

[victory_howl]

DID SOMEONE SAY FOOD

There was someone tailing Riku. Not obviously, of course... but slowly, stealthily, with padded, almost imperceptibly quiet footsteps. There was a soft rustle of grass, too, separate from the footsteps. Perhaps they were carrying something?

Ammy kept low in the grass, mostly out of sight.

[justabignobody]

Weeeeell...

It's not exactly easy to trail Riku without him noticing after a while, not without any power or object cloaking the presences. Especially when said presence shines quite brightly in the light.

He doesn't mind though, not when he can't sense even the slightest hint of hings he has come to associate with malice or aggression... so why not let things play out?

In the meantime he will take care of the Shadow Globs spread over this floor and walls, Soul Eater gleaming as he charges it with Darkness and slashes at them.

[victory_howl]

Ammy pinned her ears back briefly at the sight of the Globs, but as Riku seemed to be taking care of them, relaxed a little. He didn't seem like a bad sort -- maybe a little inscrutable, though.

After a moment, she made her decision, bounding forward up and out of the grass. The beads of her rosary whipped through the air towards several of the Shadow Globs, filling the space around them with an unnatural chill as they went from one opponent to the next.

[justabignobody]

So whoever had been following decided to come up and help, huh? Not that Riku really minded.

He was maybe a little surprised when he caught sight of her; most of the tower's residents were human or humanoid after all, but he shrugs it off after just a second. There are far stranger things than magic-capable animals.

He turned back to the Shadow Globs, snapping his blade downwards with a flick of his wrist, concentrated on the task at hand.

[C, anywhere]

[lethechained]

[Riku isn't the only one having issues with control. Naminé is suffering the same difficulty. At first, it caused her no end of distress, when she felt herself slipping again, just like before. But this time... this time, it just kept going, on and on and on, and by now she knew that trying to find some way save the most extreme to stop it was futile. As last time, she'd tried to keep away from the others, hopefully spare them at least some of the effects, but...]

[... But her powers still threaten to seek out the hearts of others, especially those that they know the best. And this time, they reach for his. She's tucked away somewhere at the time, knees drawn to her chest and her head against them, but the second she realizes that something is very, very off, she raises her face, eyes widening. There's a moment of distress at that realization, and she wonders if she should go to find him - but she's quick to remind herself that there's a reason she's been trying to keep to herself as much as possible. She might have chosen to stay where she was for fear of causing him even more trouble, had a portal sprung not to life, unbidden, at the thought of looking for him. It's tempting, her concern urging her to take this chance, despite her hesitation. She regards the portal for a long moment, waiting for it to disappear and make the decision for her, but it lingers, long enough for her to finally steel herself, stand, and walk forward through it, hands clinging uneasily to each other and her mouth a downturned curve.]

[justabignobody]

[Even with his powers somewhat back in control, Riku too is avoiding people for just that reason... one way or another, if he comes too close he'll surely hurt them. Maybe not physically, but...

The silence and width of the cathedral floor is somewhat comforting - he hardly stands out in a place that badly lit and it's not a place that 'Riku' is known to visit often, so he is comfortable to wander and linger, and hope that soon, soon whatever is going on in the tower will pass again.

He tenses when the corridor opens in front of him, his gut twisting as he wonders if this is Xehanort - again - but he relaxes just a little when he sees just who is stumbling out of it, a whisper escaping him - the voice his own (all that is left now), not that of Xehanort.]

...Naminé?

[lethechained]

....

[She come to an abrupt but neat stop, her eyes raising from the floor to focus on him. The girl doesn't speak right away; she just stays where she is, watching him intently even as the portal slowly disappears behind her. The part of her that's been so filled with fear lately and continues to be so even now cringes and is distressed by the unpleasantly familiar appearance of the person before her, but as that is not the part that is in control of her, she remains motionless. He's the right shape to remind her much too much of others who once donned the Organization's coat. But the rest of her... the rest of her is unafraid. It's not the first time she's seen him in this form. Maybe it won't be the last, either, though the idea is not a happy one.]

... Riku.

[She's looking a bit pale, but there's no real fear in her eyes. They're serious, yes, but in them are understanding, pity and sympathy more than anything else.]

[justabignobody]

[He has never shown himself like this to her - at least not that he remembers - but given that she is the one who confirmed Sora's awakening (and maybe also Roxas' necessity to it) and his own involvement... he's known what would be his sacrifices for this to happen days before the event (because as he's told Xion, it's not just about what it's best for himself... it's about what's best for everyone. It's always been.).

While he senses some fear from her, her eyes show him that it's not due him and he is glad, even though that's selfish, he's glad because Naminé is the one who understands, who won't ever judge him, and even though he isn't deserving of that, or of her pity, he is still glad.

He can feel the slight tug of her powers on him though, the flashes of memory that start to push to the forefront of his mind - some of almost forgotten childhood days, some far less pleasant than that - but at least this time it's not pulling at the other in him... maybe because he's already taken that form, maybe because of something else.]

...Your powers too, huh?

C

[swordofzero]

[Suzaku was spending a lot of time patrolling around the tower, making sure no one was in trouble. There were still a few people who hadn't been taken to the competition and whatever brought people here was still working even if nothing else was.

So he tried to help people as best he could. When he came across the hooded figure he watched him for a moment. Not being able to place his height, build or movements as anyone he knew he stepped closer.] Is everything alright?

[justabignobody]

[He turns his head when he notices Suzaku stepping towards him - regarding him for a moment. He remembers him... remembers him helping search for his lost things after the power mess up.

After a moment, he nods.]

...Yes. Thank you for your concern.

[swordofzero]

[A nod, but Suzaku didn't walk away yet] Have you just arrived? [It was not a good time to be new, Suzaku had been trying to help as much as he could.]

[justabignobody]

[Another moment before he shakes his head.]

I arrived a while ago. But thank you.

[option A, night -- anywhere. hallways, maybe?]

[worldsapart]

[Xion is training.

It isn't anything fancy, just a lot of basic things, really, but that makes it all the more important to work hard at it. She knew that even before Master Xehanort said it to her. The basics are the building blocks. If you don't understand the basics, you'll never advance. So do it over and over and over, until it becomes habit, until it's comfortable, until it's thoughtless.

Maybe it's not the best idea for her to be out at night, considering how dangerous it is, but this is as good a chance as any to practice her skills. Plus, it'll help make it safer for others who need to move about during the night. So it's a win/win, right?

When she hears the sound of combat not too far away, she turns and makes her way that direction. Maybe whoever it is needs help. If not, well -- It doesn't hurt to check.

When she finally makes out who it is...] Riku! [She jumps into the fray anyway. She's sure he won't mind. Besides, she wants to tell him how she's getting better -- and maybe show him, too.]

Sounds good! :D

[justabignobody]

[Riku certainly doesn't mind the help of a friend; especially when eh is dealing with a small group of Uruk-hai - they are very, very tough opponents, especially since magic doesn't seem to have any effect at them at all, leaving him only with close combat.

His heart jumps when he hears Sora's voice calling out - has he woken up? - but he calms when he recognizes the scent as other!Xion's. He just barely dodges the following sword swing of one of he Uruks, slashing Soul Eater upwards before siding over until he is back to back with her.]

Don't waste any magic on them.

[worldsapart]

[Xion nods.] Right!

[When she jumps forward into battle, if Riku manages to find time to watch her, there's something... different about the way she fights, when compared back to when she fought on the ramp to rescue her otherself. Somehow, she seems more... measured in her attacks. More refined. There's more skill there than before, and she's certainly more comfortable wielding two Keyblades at once than she was before.]

[justabignobody]

[Most of their fight, he is a little too busy to pay attention to anything but their opponents as well as her blind-spot - he is not going to let her get hurt on his watch if he can help it, never again - but yes... there is something different about her.

He certainly knows better than to ask right now when they are in the middle of battle, instead covering her back, while slashing down or blocking heavy strikes himself, occasionally relying on a shield spell to buy time for a proper counterattack.]

Option C, 21th June

[capax_infiniti]

[There's been an odd... almost pull. Something strange. Something Xehanort doesn't quite comprehend, or at least expect... so he came to see. What he isn't truly expecting was that feeling as he gets closer. Something too familiar, far too intimate... but yet outside of him...

Darkness. Not just darkness though, his darkness. Had it finally come to pass? Was there another version of himself there?

He begins to hurry, to try to catch up to the source, using Corridors of Darkness to quickly jump between floors in order to zero in.]

[justabignobody]

[It's not that he hasn't anticipated this visit sooner or later. The scent of his Darkness is reversed now after all; what were once mere traces of someone else's power have become the dominating layer of his presence.

It's not all that surprising that the person said power originates from would come to seek it out.

Even so, Riku has dreaded this moment - especially when he can't be sure of Xehanort's objective in his place.

He could drag this out of course, could keep moving, running, avoiding the old Master to a point, but... that would be telling in itself. So he lets it happen, lets himself be found.

So he lingers in a further corner of Floor Eighteen. Surely, Xehanort should be able to find him there.]

[capax_infiniti]

[It's not long before the portal opens in another corner of the room, coinciding with the dimming of the lights and the deepening of the sounds of scratching and clawing at the walls. He steps out, not hindered by the lack of light in the slightest, casting his glance and senses around the room before turning and striding purposefully in Riku's direction.

While Riku's doing his best to hide his appearance, that doesn't even really matter - the signature of Darkness, the feeling is exactly the same. He doesn't need to see in order to know, he's long since learned that things are always more than meets the eye. Having two Xions here has only confirmed that belief if nothing else.

He approaches before stopping at a safe distance away. Not too close, but close enough.]

Greetings and good tidings. I sensed you, just as I'm certain you sensed me. I would quite like to speak with you.

A - 32 (early on in the month?)

[lamentless]

[Keeping on the move was about the only thing he was focused on. It kept him from sleeping, and sleeping was risking something mauling him while he was defenseless. He had a book or two tucked under his arm from the library, and it'd been a bit of a frantic trip back up, as his skateboard was under his other elbow. He was sort of home free, though, so he wasn't expecting much else in terms of bloody, horrible deaths.

Which was stupid, but he wasn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer.

He halted suddenly just as the stairs met floor 32, peering around cautiously at the forest. If memory served (hah), then this was where the animals were- and with his luck, monsters or people. He was hungry, but it...one trip at a time, one thing at a time or he'd lose his head. Literally. ...Again.

But still, as he crossed to the path that lead to floor 33, he couldn't help but hesitate a few dozen times.]

Sounds good!

[justabignobody]

[Well, Riku is keeping some distance from the path; he is pretty much lying in wait for game to appear and be careless enough for him to catch, picking up some berries when he finds them. He doesn't mind the quiet or the lack of powers on this floor (if anything it's maybe a bit of a relieve maybe), but he does mind interruptions - such as someone stumbling along the pathway.

He turns towards it, frowning... and that frown deepens just a little when he realizes just who it is that is walking around this time. Roxas... he's promised to keep distance, and he has kept to that, but.. given who else has all arrived since the last time they had crossed paths, he supposes he should at least make conversation.]

...Are you looking for something?